ZAVALLA, Texas (KTRE) - The City of Zavalla has been hit with more than $18,000 in a penalty after state environmental regulators ordered an overhaul of its public water system following customer complaints of "tea-colored" tap water smelling of sewage.

On May 18, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) issued a default order against the Angelina County municipality after an investigation revealed 17 public water supply violations.

State records show a February 2023 complaint triggered TCEQ's investigation after a local resident reported discolored water that carried a "very strong sewage, putrid odor."An investigator found more than a dozen violations, including:Unlocked ground storage roof hatches and unsecured, broken fencing at water plantsFailure to flush dead-end water mains on a monthly basisSeverely rusted storage tanks, exposed electrical wiring and a failure to test backflow prevention assembliesInsufficient water pump capacity to reliably meet peak hourly demandsIn addition to the $18,301 administrative penalty, TCEQ mandated a strict timeline for Zavalla officials to repair its infrastructure or face further violations.